Is there a clear winner in the wake of the second major leaders debate? 

Christopher Luxon and Chris Hipkins went head-to-head in the NZ Herald's Leaders Debate last night, clashing on education, geopolitics, and wages, amid other things.  

Political Commentator Brigitte Morten told Ryan Bridge the real competition wasn't just between the two leaders, but rather whether or not they could sell to the people watching why they should vote for them. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

Is there a clear winner in the wake of the second major leaders debate?&nbsp;
Christopher Luxon and Chris Hipkins went head-to-head in the NZ Herald's Leaders Debate last night, clashing on education, geopolitics, and wages, amid other things. &nbsp;
Political Commentator Brigitte Morten told Ryan Bridge the real competition wasn't just between the two leaders, but rather whether or not they could sell to the people watching why they should vote for them.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

A fresh and intelligent start to your day - catch the very latest international and domestic news developments, sport, entertainment and business on Early Edition with Ryan Bridge, on Newstalk ZB.

A fresh and intelligent start to your day - catch the very latest international and domestic news developments, sport, entertainment and business on Early Edition with Ryan Bridge, on Newstalk ZB.

Early Edition with Ryan Bridge

Brigitte Morten: Political Commentator unpacks the second major leaders debate

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/450049de-7f37-4c91-a850-b4e30171ae39/transcript

A patients advocate says the news of Starship treatment delays isn't about making anyone look bad, but keeping families informed.

The Auckland children's hospital's confirmed about 20 chemotherapy cycles have been delayed by a few days due to staffing shortages. 

Health NZ says it had to make adjustments amid high demand and high staff sickness.

Patient Voice Aotearoa Chair Malcolm Mulholland told Andrew Dickens he's thankful for the whistleblower who revealed this, because no one knew.

He says the way it's been handled and the messaging from Health NZ leaders has been deplorable.

LISTEN ABOVE

A patients advocate says the news of Starship treatment delays isn't about making anyone look bad, but keeping families informed.
The Auckland children's hospital's confirmed about 20 chemotherapy cycles have been delayed by a few days due to staffing shortages.&nbsp;
Health NZ says it had to make adjustments amid high demand and high staff sickness.
Patient Voice Aotearoa Chair Malcolm Mulholland told Andrew Dickens he's thankful for the whistleblower who revealed this, because no one knew.
He says the way it's been handled and the messaging from Health NZ leaders has been deplorable.
LISTEN ABOVE

Malcolm Mulholland: Patient Voice Aotearoa Chair on Starship cancer treatment delays

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/eda94b6d-5fd7-45d1-86f2-b4e40126721e/transcript

On the Early Edition with Andrew Dickens Full Show Podcast Friday the 18th of October 2026, Cancer treatments for children at Starship hospital have been delayed, Patient Voice Aotearoa Chair Malcolm Mulholland shares his thoughts. 

After a whopping at Eden Park last week, the Wallabies are getting ready to stare down the All Blacks again, Elliott Smith joins Andrew from Sydney. 

National's promising to get plug-in solar panels on shelves within six months if re-elected, Rewiring Aotearoa CEO Mike Casey tells Andrew how big of a difference this will make. 

Plus, UK/Europe Correspondent Peter Anderson has the latest on an inquest’s which has heard the family of 24-year-old William Chapman, who died after entering a tiger enclosure, had concerns about his mental health care and the British government is threatening to ban all Eritreans from entering the UK if the east African country doesn’t accept more returns of small boat migrants and foreign national offenders.

Get the Early Edition Full Show Podcast every weekday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.          

LISTEN ABOVE

On the Early Edition with Andrew Dickens Full Show Podcast Friday the 18th of October 2026, Cancer treatments for children at Starship hospital have been delayed, Patient Voice Aotearoa Chair Malcolm Mulholland shares his thoughts.&nbsp;
After a whopping at Eden Park last week, the Wallabies are getting ready to stare down the All Blacks again, Elliott Smith joins Andrew from Sydney.&nbsp;
National's promising to get plug-in solar panels on shelves within six months if re-elected, Rewiring Aotearoa CEO Mike Casey tells Andrew how big of a difference this will make.&nbsp;
Plus, UK/Europe Correspondent Peter Anderson has the latest on an inquest’s which has heard the family of 24-year-old William Chapman, who died after entering a tiger enclosure, had concerns about his mental health care and the British government is threatening to ban all Eritreans from entering the UK if the east African country doesn’t accept more returns of small boat migrants and foreign national offenders.
Get the Early Edition Full Show Podcast every weekday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE

Full Show Podcast: 16 October 2026 

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/05c1ed92-eae0-4aab-a5da-b4e4011a4277/transcript

Yesterday's talkback outrage was all about the MPs and the gangs.  

A meeting that was condemned by both the Chrises in the Leaders debate.  

But despite this weight of opinion, Marama Davidson doubled down on the visit – and then she promised more funding for gang run social programmes. 

Well, I don't think Marama quite understands the issue. 

I actually don't mind MPs talking with criminals to better understand where they're at, and I don't mind them talking with gangs.   

There are 11,000 gang members now, with tens of thousands of related whanau, many of whom need intervention by the State.   

Whether it's support for single mothers, or rescuing of children from abusive homes, or housing. It's good to see these issues first hand with your own eyes.  

However, the real problem was the social media posting of the photos.  

They legitimised the gangs and even celebrated their existence to the wider public.  

To not see that was silly and naive of Marama, particularly in a week where the Greens are polling better than ever.  

The fact that it was done so close to the election means it's been weaponised and once again, it casts doubts around the Greens being equipped to have their hand on the tiller of this country.  

And it's interesting that Chlöe Swarbrick has been silent.   

When asked if the event was acceptable, Ms Swarbrick did not give a definitive yes or no. Instead, she stated that she needed to “understand more of the context as to what has played out here". 

She's learnt a lot over the years and knows better.   

Unlike Marama Davidson. The reason the right attack Ms Swarbrick and not Marama is that they know one is a threat and the other is an irrelevancy.   

You get the feeling that the co-leadership thing is a thing of the past. 

Yesterday's talkback outrage was all about the MPs and the gangs. &nbsp;
A meeting that was condemned by both the Chrises in the Leaders debate. &nbsp;
But despite this weight of opinion, Marama Davidson doubled down on the visit – and then she promised more funding for gang run social programmes.&nbsp;
Well, I don't think Marama quite understands the issue.&nbsp;
I actually don't mind MPs talking with criminals to better understand where they're at, and I don't mind them talking with gangs. &nbsp;&nbsp;
There are 11,000 gang members now, with tens of thousands of related whanau, many of whom need intervention by the State. &nbsp;&nbsp;
Whether it's support for single mothers, or rescuing of children from abusive homes, or housing. It's good to see these issues first hand with your own eyes. &nbsp;
However, the real problem was the social media posting of the photos. &nbsp;
They legitimised the gangs and even celebrated their existence to the wider public. &nbsp;
To not see that was silly and naive of Marama, particularly in a week where the Greens are polling better than ever. &nbsp;
The fact that it was done so close to the election means it's been weaponised and once again, it casts doubts around the Greens being equipped to have their hand on the tiller of this country. &nbsp;
And it's interesting that Chlöe Swarbrick has been silent. &nbsp;&nbsp;
When asked if the event was acceptable, Ms Swarbrick did not give a definitive yes or no. Instead, she stated that she needed to “understand more of the context as to what has played out here".&nbsp;
She's learnt a lot over the years and knows better. &nbsp;&nbsp;
Unlike Marama Davidson. The reason the right attack Ms Swarbrick and not Marama is that they know one is a threat and the other is an irrelevancy. &nbsp;&nbsp;
You get the feeling that the co-leadership thing is a thing of the past.&nbsp;

Andrew Dickens: Is the Greens' co-leadership a thing of the past?

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/f57ab036-eb8d-4633-8145-b4e4011a13c3/transcript

Brigitte Morten: Political Commentator unpacks the second major leaders debate

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